Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-07-01
The Oyster Industry.

The oyster Industry.
According to the census returns. the
products of the oyster industry of the Unit
ed States are equal to those of all the other
fisheries of the country. This industry
gives employment to over 80 900 persons
and more than $40, SOC, 900 of capital, and
produces yearly % 600, 600 bushels of ovs-
ters valued at upwards of $4,000 900
The oyster beds of the Chesapeake bay and
OF the rivers flowing into it furnish so per
cent of the entire crop, and give employ
ment to over 80, 600 persons and s., 900, 900
of capital. Compared with these figures
the oyster industry of Connecticut. upon
which Vermont dealers mostly rely. is of
little importance, the number of persons
employed therein being in 1886 only 5000
The natural oyster beds of Virginia cover
thousands of acres, besides which other
thousands are planted and farmed under
the protection of the state On the natural
beds oystering can be carried on only after
obtaining state license, and then only bv
the use of tongs, dredging being prohibited
both because Of its destructiveness to the
oyster beds aud because it works injury TO
the thousands of negroes and poor whites
who are dependent upon their earnings as
tongmen. The frequent collisions between
the Virginia state police and the oystermen
within the past few years, of which we have
read, have mainly occurred in the enforce
ment OF the law against dredging
The oyster planter must select his ground
outside of the natural beds By "A special
enactment Of the legislature, however. the
Hampton Flats, extending along the north
side of Hampton Roads, was a few wears
ago opened to planting, on the ground that
the natural oyster beds-or rock. rs the
technical term is-were so far exhausted AS
to be worthless. The project was carried
through by an association Of northerners.
comprising about dozen men who had To-
Gated in this vicinity, and the ground was
speedily taken up by them and now mostly
remains in their hands Two or three
years ago certain parties, jealous of the
success of this Yankee scheme. made an
attempt % get the Legislature to repeal the
law opening these grounds 10 oyster cul
ture but the committee appointed bv the
Democraticl legislature. after a thorourb
investigation, reported that since these
flats, hitherto worthless, had been taken
up they had paid besides state taxes. over
500, 600 within five years 10 the tongmen
OF the county furnishing remunerative
employment H. hundreds of laboring men.
aud that 10 repeal the law would only re
store the grounds 10 their former useless
state. So these Yankee oystermen now
feel secure in their rights, and are probably
making money in the business. They hold
their grounds by lease from the state. nav
ing rental Of 20 cents an acre and also a
tax upon the value Of the oysters which
they plant. II is with these oystermen and
their grounds that have become best ac-
quainted and hence refer to particularly in
this article
The water in Hampton Roads is shallow
for long distance from shore, so that the
oyster beds, which are covered by an ave
rage depth Of 10 or 70 feet Of water. ex-
tend about mile out from land The
young oysters, costing usually about fifteen
cents bushel, are planted in spring or
fall, and require three years Tor four years